Folding table



Jan. 31, 1939. w. c. BASTETTER 2,145,734 v FOLDING TABLE Filed A ril 13, 1936 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 s A v :3 ii: a I I 7 I .F :::El

. I 4, W INVIYENTQR.

' BY I Patented Jan. 31, 1939 ATENT OFFICE FOLDING TABLE William ,C. :Rastetter, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Application April 13, 1936, Serial No. 13,990

8' "Claims.

7 1'0 in which the locking mechanism for each leg is moved from lockingposition upon foldingof the leg adjacent thereto.

Other objects and-advantages of the invention appearjin the following description.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the 'ac'companyinging drawings, in

' which: I

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of a table made in f conformitywith the invention, the legs "being go" 'shownfin folded position;

2 'is'a top plan view 'of one of-the table legs including its reinforce;

Fig.3 isa fragmentaryisideelevati'onprojected 'from'Figsz;

' "Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view sho'wingthe connection 'of one of the -legs-with the .jtable top, :the docking -mechanism therefor and an adjacent "leg co'operativelyassociated with ,sa'id mechanisrn; g T'Fig, his "a similar "view :showing partially a projectionfrom Fig.4 in a plane at right angles thereto; and Fig. 6 is another fragmentary cross=sectional view similar :to Fig. '4 but showing one .of the legs 5 inlatched position and unlocking anotherleg to permit folding thereof.

The illustrative embodiment .of .the invention is consti ut d a r ctaneu a table topfl prov ded with ma al pe dant fram mem ers 2 40' andprefer my h v n aninnersunp rting frame '3 disposed at the juncture of theitop and its frame members. I g

In each corne of the t ble top se ured lth orrespondin f am -Lm mbers located a uesshaped bracket .4 formed pre era ly of sh e metal, the bracket "being secured to said frame rnembers by means .of,screws 5 ,andtalso to said inner supporting frame by a screw. 5 which extends through a perforated ,lug'l that is utout 50 of-the adjacent inner wall .of the bracket and bent at right angles theret sothatan opening 8 (Fig. 5) is left in said WaIL'hereina'fter referred to. 3.11 0, l.l andjlarepivotally secured respectively to the corresponding brackets 4 by 5 means of a lag screw l3 that passes through the walls of the corresponding bracket 4 and the leg.

"Preferably, the upper end of each leg has thereon a reinforce or metal facing l4 that is secured thereto by means of screws i5, through which the corresponding lag-screw l3 extends, there being -5 an opening I6 made through the leg and the facing walls for the accommodation of the lagscrew. The lag-screw forms a pintle upon which the corresponding leg turns in its bracket 4.

In the upper part of each leg is'made a bore H m that extends through the inner wall l8 of the reinforce 'l4-andterminates at the outer wall l9 ofthe reinforce where the bore is closed. In the bore ll of each leg is disposed a lock-bolt 20 and an expansion spring 2| that bears against the 115 "outer wall 19 of the reinforce l4 and one end of 'the "'bolt. The opposite end of the bolt 20 is rounded off to form a tapering nose 22 that protru'des through the inner wall 18 of the facing onthe leg "and has locking relation with the 'cor- :20 responding bracket 4 when the leg is moved into its-fully extendedposition, there being made in the'innerwall of the "bracket an opening 23 for reception of the outer endportion of the bolt. .Theopening23 is preferably of smaller bore than 1 5 the diameter ofthe'bolt so that when in looking jpositionthe bolt fits tightly therein and prevents wobbling of the leg upon its pintle. When the "leg is moved into folded position the nose of the bolt protrudes to a limited. extent into the lug an opening 8 in the bracket and thereby the leg is yieldingly held in folded position. The lug opening dislocated in the bracket a'sufiicient distance from the pintle as tolie partially .out of the path of the bolt when the leg is folded and thus is prevented locking engagement of the bolt in'the l eopenin I In juxtaposition with each bracket 4 is secured a spring. 24 preferably consisting of a metallic strip rigidlvsecured at one end to the adjacent face of said bracketjandshaped to have an offset ,25 and a backturned movable free end 25 that overlaps the opening 23 in the bracket .4 and bears aeainstthe nose of the correspon in l when thelegis extended and the bolt is in lock- 'ing position. Thus, when pressure is applied to the jfrefe end of the spring the bolt is pressed back intothebore of the legin opposition to the action of the expansionspri g 2| a sufiicient distance topermit foldingmovement of the leg upon its Dintle.

. *ZIThe free end of each leg has thereon .a ,knob 11, that when th le is f ded tac s th' d exerts pressure against the free 'end 26 of the spring 24 that is associated with an adjacent leg causing the lock-bolt to be moved from its looking engagement to permit folding of said adjacent leg. The offset 25 on thespring 24 acts as a stop and rest for the free end of the adjacent folded leg, and coincidentally the free end of said spring has latching relation with the folded le engaged thereby.

In operation, the legs are moved from folded position in successive order to their fully extended position whereupon. they become automatically locked by engagement of their respective bolts in the corresponding brackets. In folding the table, pressure is manually applied against one of the springs 24 to move the corresponding bolt backwardly and thus permit folding of the corresponding leg. When the leg thus unlocked is moved to folded position, the knob 21 on its free end contacts and bears against the spring 24 of the adjacent leg thus automatically unlocking the adjacent leg and permitting folding thereof. Said adjacent leg upon being folded similarlycauses unlocking of the next succeeding leg, which succeeding leg, upon being folded, similarly unlocks the next leg, and so forth, until all of the legs shall have been unlocked and folded. In this manner upon manually unlocking and folding of one leg, each of the other legs are automatically unlocked, one after another in successive order upon folding of the corresponding preceding legs. Thus, upon folding of each leg an adjacent leg is unlocked and itself becomes, latched in folded position by the free end 26 of the corresponding spring 24, which action permits folding of the unlocked legs in successive order.

What I claim is:--

1. A folding table having a rectangular top provided with pendant marginal frame members, a bracket secured within each corner of said top, each bracket having aninner wall provided with a lock opening, a leg secured upon a pintle in each of said brackets, each leg having in its upper end portion a spring-pressed lock-bolt adapted to have locking engagement with the corresponding bracket by projecting into the lock opening 45 therein when said leg is moved into its fully ex tended position, and a spring secured at one end in juxtaposition to each bracket and having a movable free end that overlaps the lock opening and has operative relation with the lock-bolt in said leg, the free end of each leg having operative relation with the spring that is associated with the leg adjacent thereto so that when the one leg is moved to folded position the spring engaged by the folded leg causes the correspondingbolt to move from locking position to thereby permit folding-of said adjacent leg.

2. A folding table having a rectangular top provided with pendant marginal frame members, a

bracket within each corner of said top, each bracket having an inner wall provided with a lock opening, a leg secured upon a pintle in each of said brackets, said leg having in its upper end portion a spring-pressed lock-bolt adapted to have locking engagement with the corresponding bracket by projecting into the lock opening therein when said leg is moved into its fully extended position, and a spring secured at one end in juxtaposition to'each bracket and having a movable free end that overlaps the corresponding lock opening and 'actuates the lock-bolt in said leg when pressure is applied tosaid spring. A

3. A folding table, said table having a top,

brackets secured to said top, each bracket having also a free end to unlock. the

each of said brackets, said legs each having a spring-pressed lock-bolt adapted to have locking engagement with the corresponding bracket by projecting into the lock opening therein when the corresponding leg is moved into its fully extended position, and a spring secured at one end in juxtaposition to each bracket provided with a movable free end and an offset, said spring having engagement with the lock-bolt in the corresponding leg and'with the free end of'an adjacent folding leg when the last-mentioned leg is moved to folded position, thereby to move said lock-bolt out of locking engagement.

4. A folding table, said table having a top, brackets secured to said top, each bracket having a lock opening, a leg secured upon a pintle in each of said brackets, said legs each having a spring-pressed lock-bolt adapted to have locking engagement with the corresponding bracket by projecting into the lock opening therein when the corresponding leg is moved into its fully extended position, and a spring secured 'at one end in juxtaposition to each bracket provided with a movable free end, said spring being operatively associated with the lock-bolt in the corresponding leg and with the free end of an adjacent leg when the last-mentioned leg is moved to folded position thereby, to move said lock-bolt out of locking engagement.

5. A folding table, said table having a top and legs pivoted on said top to have folding 'move ment relative thereto, each leg having means for looking it in extended position, and a member disposed in juxtaposition with the pivoted end of each leg engageable by an adjacent leg when the latter leg is folded for movingsaid locking means out of locking position whereby the leg 7 thus unlocked may be folded.

6. A folding table, said table having a top and legs pivoted thereon provided each with means to lock same in extended position, and a member operatively related with thelock means of each leg having an offset that functions as a stop to limit folding movement of an adjacent legand corresponding leg when said adjacent leg is folded.

7. A folding table having a rectangular top provided with pendant marginal frame members,

'a bracket within each corner of said top, the inner wall of eachbracket having a lock opening, aleg secured upon a pintle in each of. said brackets, said leg having in its upper end portion a springpressed lock-bolt adapted to have locking engagement with the corresponding bracket by projecting into the lock opening therein when said leg is moved to its fully extended position, and a spring secured at oneend in juxtaposition to each bracket provided with a movable free end, said spring having engagement with the lock-bolt in the corresponding leg and with the free end of an adjacent folding leg when the last mentioned leg is moved to folded position thereby to move said lock-bolt out of locking engagement.

8. A folding table having a top and legs pivoted thereon provided each with means to lock same in extended position, and a member located adjacent the pivoted end of each leg having operative relation with the lock member thereof and also with the free'endof the adjacent leg when said adjacent legis folded, whereby when each.

leg is folded the next succeeding leg is unlocked to permit folding thereof.

7 WILLIAM c. RASTE'I'IER. 

